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Louisville vs NC State: 3 big questions in a wild ACC clash

Dustin Judge
Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, site of Louisville vs NC State

Louisville vs NC State is a 2-2 versus 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference matchup on Saturday, Oct. 3, and the Cardinals’ quarterback situation is still in doubt. Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. ET at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, with coverage on the ACC Network.

Louisville vs NC State: will Lincoln Kienholz play?

Kienholz is questionable after getting hurt in Louisville’s 30-27 loss to Wake Forest. Coach Jeff Brohm called him a game-time decision and has not said what the injury is, according to WDRB. Senior Davin Wydner and freshman Briggs Cherry are the backups. Receiver Lawayne McCoy is also questionable.

Kienholz threw for 324 yards and ran for two touchdowns against Wake Forest. He has six rushing touchdowns through four games, the most by a Louisville quarterback in his first four games with the program, the school said.

How both teams got to 2-2

Louisville lost 41-38 to No. 9 Ole Miss, beat Villanova 59-13 and beat then-No. 16 SMU 41-31. It was ranked No. 16 when it lost to Wake Forest and fell out of the Top 25.

NC State lost 34-8 at Virginia, routed Richmond 73-0 and lost 35-31 at Vanderbilt after quarterback CJ Bailey fumbled in the end zone with one second left, WRAL reported. The Wolfpack then beat Appalachian State 41-31 after blowing a 21-point lead. Running back Duke Scott had 148 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 5:08 left.

Series history and what to watch

In Louisville vs NC State history, the Cardinals lead 9-4 and won its last game in Raleigh 13-10 in 2023. NC State is 0-1 in the ACC, while Louisville is 1-1.

The Cardinals gave up a 77-yard touchdown pass against Wake Forest and have had trouble with big plays. In Louisville vs NC State, that could matter against an offense that scored 41 points last week. For more ACC coverage, read our Miami vs. Clemson preview and Pitt vs. Virginia Tech preview.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.